What day is it?

H asked me this today. We often get confused in this house. Any change to routine means the flow of days of the week is disturbed. Sometimes we are convinced it is Sunday evening when we still have another day of the weekend to enjoy. The Olympics did this to us too.

So tomorrow is a weekday, then we get another weekend in effect, 25th and 26th. Then 2 more weekdays, followed by another weekend, 29th, 30th. Then the same again for the week of New Year...   So 5 weekends in 2 weeks, wow!

Keeping Advent 2012

The Royal Institution advent calendar is based on the elements.

Our Advent and post Christmas group started today. We light a candle and set up the crib at the table. Then we take turns answering these 2 questions in ways we wish to. When during the past week have I felt further from God? When during the week have I felt closest to God? We close that part of the session with the Grace. Then we share hot tea, make toast and chat.

My personalised advent calendar is up on the wall with the 3 outlines of a crown, bell and a star. I am to colour each one in once I have done the relevant bit of self care for each day (shower, finances and flossing teeth). There is a second sheet which takes me to the end of January 2013. I hope this will keep me steady and calm through midwinter.

We were chatting about decorations and my mother in law laughed and said I could win the wreath on the door race this year. I used to get paranoid that she was deliberately putting up her decorations really promptly to show me up as being less efficient. This shows the depth of stupid daughter in law/mother in law rivalry!! It's really nice to be able to chuckle about this now. I try to explain how silly adults can be to my sons. I have no end of examples.

Knocked off course

Today I did my finances for the first time since workmen came to do carpentry and paintwork 12 days ago. Why does such an event in the household knock me off course like this?

No answer, it just does...

I then realised that I had lost my FlyLady way of life for an awful lot longer. I think that fell by the wayside in the autumn as Advent started. So as one new event arrives in my life an essential part of my routine nips away!

So today is my restart day for the FlyLady zones, I have written a number, 1 to 5, in my diary beside the Monday space. I have also thought up a little rhyme to remember each zone by, eg zone one = close to the sun, ie the top floor of the house. The idea is that each week of the month has a number and I do enjoyable tasks in those areas of the house in that week. Then I am to let it go and only think about the next zone of the house.

The phrases she uses are so simple: Jump In Where You Are; You Are Not Behind; You Can Do Anything For 15 Minutes.

My monthly reviews of how home education is going disappeared at the start of October 2011. I think the reason for that was the shock I felt at Troy Davis' execution. It has taken me all this time to realise why I might have stopped doing these helpful reviews. So it is not a lack of will power or focus, but a profound shock to my system.

My unconscious reacts to events immediately, but my conscious mind cannot join cause and effect accurately for days, weeks or months. So I find myself wondering why I am acting in a certain way and having to wait patiently and faithfully for my times of reflection to produce answers. I don't think nature planned my mind very well! What purpose does this delay in understanding serve?

Advent 13 - Lights

We have beautiful twinkling deep blue lights around our front door.

Last night I realised around midnight that they were doing a slow flashing pattern which would drive me nuts if I lived opposite us, so I rootled around until I was able to find the plug and switch it off for the night.

It is lovely, but I will be switching them off at 9 or 10pm each night from now on!